My mother had us all over for Easter lunch. Won’t you come in?

The windows were open, the sun was bright, and she had cleverly raided her yard for decor. (My mother: the original source of all Rose family creativity.) On the front door: cat’s claw vines that she trimmed from the fence and wound into a wreath.

Flowering vines found their way into vases, and my Mom let them stay long and wild. Genius.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate bunnies are totally deserving of elegant display (and totally cute). Go, Mom.

My Dad brought a carrot harvest from his garden, which we turned into decor. (And then ate — raw. His carrots tastelike soil and sun.)

Scarlett — my niece and favorite Easter egg, decorated the lawn in a white tutu and beret. (Her mother is brave.)

Very brave — the whole family dressed in white (and went home unscathed).

I wore black linen. I am boring. (But Ty in white linen? Yes, please.)

Baby Taylor, with eyes the color of the sky, and his Papa — my dad. I like a man with the gumption to wear pink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: my Mom and Kenny. Everybody likes Kenny. (He was a basketball star in France, long before the days of Tony Parker, which my nephews are going to think is SUPER cool as soon as they figure it out.)

For lunch: sandwiches and salads. My mother — and her daughters — are devotees of pretty food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were deviled eggs,yes, but my Mom made them look like hatching chicks. The kids were pleased (and me, too).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dessert, a Pop Cake — a glory of my family and the ’80s. And my Easter gift to you is the oh-so-easy instructions, straight from the recipe box my mother got for her wedding.

Pop Cake

Bake a boxed white cake in a 9-by-13pan according to package instructions. Let cool one hour. Poke cake all over with a skewer. You want the holes to be about a centimeter apart. If you have a serving fork with large tines, use that to save time.

Dissolve one small package strawberry Jell-O in one cup of boiling water. Add one cup of strawberry soda, like Crush. Stir. Slowly pour mixture over cake, making sure to distribute evenly. Let sit at least two hours, or overnight.

To frost the cake (cake must be completely cool, so I do this at the very end): make a large package of vanilla pudding. Add two cups of Cool Whip. Spread over cake, and serve with fresh strawberries.

Happy spring.